Soap Operas Books

Milford-Haven is my new favorite place, and it's filled with my new best friends!

As assistant director of the Mathews Memorial Library, I have made sure the Milford-Haven novels have been entered into our collection and they are now circulating. Patrons have enjoyed reading this series and we look forward to Mara Purl's next installment!

I read Mara Purl's What The Heart Knows at one sitting, and there appears to be no end to her talent. Her verbal imagery is very effective, and she draws her readers into the story easily. Good work!

I loved Mara Purl's "What The Heart Knows"! It was engrossing and terrific! How long do we have to wait for book two?

I have just read "What The Heart Knows" with great enjoyment. All Mara Purl's characters are vivid and each one is memorable. Although there are a lot of them, there's no confusing them. She has excellent control of each one and scatters her hints and clues which I look forward to having explained/ expanded upon as the series continues. This writer is well on her way to giving Danielle Steel a run for her money!

In Novelita rosa Yanitzia Canetti walks the fine, fine line between ruthless irony and great sympathy in her treatment of both her characters and the mad world they inhabit. Of course, there usually isn't any boundary line between irony and sympathy, but Canetti finds it and draws it with a sureness that never falters.

This is an absolutely hilarious novel. In fact, I had to stop reading it in public because I kept suddenly going into uncontrollable giggling and laughter when all I had was a book in my hands. This is perhaps the book Cervantes would have written had he made it to the Américas, to the USA, in the 1990s.

Humor is a natural element in learning and the liberation of spirit... This is a great novel

NADA COMO ESTE LIBRO PARA SACARSE EL MAL HUMOR. ES ESTUPENDA. OS LA RECOMIENDO A TODOS

Esta novela es de las mejores que me he leido en los ultimos tiempos. No solo porque me hizo reir a rabiar, sino porque habla de cosas que a mi me interesan mucho. La verdad es que he quedado muy complacida y con ganas de leer más de esta autora. Ahora me estoy leyendo uno de Borges, o mejor dicho, releyendo. Carmen Sole

Si no has leido este libro que te hace sonreir y mas que reir, no te pierdas su ultima novela, titulada Al otro lado, publicada por Seix Barral. Acaba de salir y la puedes obtener a traves de Lectorum Publishers.... si esta es buena, Al otro lado te llevara mas alla del otro lado.

Abby Savage loves watching soap operas. Good thing, because her life--totally a soap opera. Mom and sisters Kait and Shelby have all dated the same guy, and Abby's first love Jackson could possibly, maybe, be the father of Kait's baby. As a result of all this love gone wild, Abby designs a set of five rules for falling in love--the One True Love Plan. Unfortunately, this plan means Jackson is out of the running for her heart.

In this funny and witty book, Marjetta Geerling has created in Abby someone that's more a friend than a mere character. Which is why you'll find yourself rooting for Abby to find her One True Love and escape the spectacle that is her family. Geerling is a great new voice on the YA scene. I can't wait to read her next book!

Abby rocks! No doubt about it. Her story, her philosophy, her world, are all tragic and beautiful, lost and found, up and down. With fresh dialogue and very real characters, it's no wonder Marjetta Geerling's story is such a fun-filled teen drama with plenty of references to soap operas, boys and modern American family life. Sticking to a plan is generally a good idea but Fancy White Trash and Abby' s One True Love plan makes you re-consider even your most treasured policies.

Abby Savage and her delightfully tacky family will steal your heart from the first page of Fancy White Trash. Filled with hilarious observations on life, love, and embarrassing family moments, Abby's story will have you laughing out loud with every new twist in her efforts to stick to her One True Love Plan. I hated for my time with the Savage family to end, and since there is no sequel as of yet, I will just have to settle for reading Fancy White Trash again and again.

You can't blame 15-year-old Abby Savage for not wanting to be like the rest of her family. Her two older sisters and her crazy mother think nothing of stealing each other's boyfriends and even becoming pregnant by the same guy. So Abby creates her own plan for dating. Her rules, based on her soap opera-like family and the soaps on TV that she happens to love, aren't the easiest to stick to. And when real love seems to be heading her way, Abby does practically everything to sabotage herself. Fancy White Trash is hilarious, filled with twists and turns that keep you wanting more. Marjetta Geerling has created characters that are believable (after all, whose family doesn't have at least one oddball?), quirky and funny. Best of all, you'll find yourself cheering Abby and her best friend, Cody, on as they search to find themselves and love as they navigate high school.

The first 10 pages of this book set up one of the most outrageous families you can imagine. The wry comments of the main character Abby had me laughing out loud over and over again as each new development throws everything into chaos again. It is a very sweet story with rich characters that you end up feeling like you know them. I find myself talking about them as though they were real.
My only complaint is that it is not a series.

I first ordered this book for my son-in-law, because he is such a Charlie Daniels fan. I then ordered a copy for a friend of mine who is going through a rough time in her life right now. Before giving it away, I flipped through the pages, and read the story by Jonny Lang. I am a 61 yr. old grandmother, but I have albums by him. I was just blown away, and had to order a copy for myself.

In the book, How Do You Know He's Real, you'll get an inside look into the spiritual lives of 34 celebrities. Hagberg has compiled testimonies ranging from Kirk Cameron to Rudy Sarzo (former bass player for Ozzy Osbourne). Each story is remarkably different and it's amazing to read how God has worked in the lives of each of these well-known people.

The author has collected very readable stories telling how celebrities have become Christians, and they share their low points and their joys here. This is a welcome peek into the lives of well known people who typically are more secretive.
Ricky Skaggs, Kirk Cameron, Gloria Gaynor, Bethel Johnson (34 people in all) tell about their struggles and their early days as new Christians.
Billy Ray Cyrus tells of singing in his grandpa's Pentecostal church when he was 4, and includes the touching lyrics to the song he wrote "The other side."
Jackie (Jacklyn) Zeman, star of General Hospital, advises that when you are at a crossroads "cry out to God and ask for His guidance."
Al Kasha's story resonated with me; this Academy Award winning songwriter overcame agoraphobia, and talks about how Hollywood is a tough place for a Jew who came to Christ, and how he started a Hollywood Bible study group.
There are stories here for anyone to enjoy and find spirit lifting.

(Hagberg has written a companion book with the same title, subtitled God Unplugged)

How Do You Know He's Real? is a collection of celebrity essays about God acting in their lives. The contributors include athletes, musicians, and actors. Their stories often follow a familiar pattern of fame leading to drugs and alcohol before hitting bottom and being turned around by an encounter with God. That's not to say the accounts are all stock and cliched, but rather that God meets each person in their need--and for celebrities that need will be similar. And many of the tales include growing up in stable Christian homes, but still needing to make personal decisions about God and Christ and how that decision impacted their careers.

The stories are collected alphabetically but Hagberg has provided a topic finder so a reader battling discouragement or frustration can find offerings from Billy Ray Cyrus, Nancy Stafford, Zorro, Gary Burghoff or John Schneider.

Each essay begins with a picture and short biography of the contributor, listing their accomplishments. Following the selection is God's Road Map, a few sentences about the issues raised by the author, with Bible verses for teaching and encouragement.

The essays themselves are as varied as the contributors. Some of them read as if they were written to be given as speeches. Several sound like the writer could be sitting at your kitchen table, chatting over the coffee pot. All of them are honest and share from their heart how God has acted in their life and how they know He's real.

Reading the accounts of God acting in both miraculous and mundane ways reminds us that no matter what a person does for a living, each of us are created beings who need a loving Savior and merciful God.

Armchair Interviews says: Up close and personal stories from celebrities.

I received this book as a gift and once I started, I couldn't put it down. Ms Hagberg has captured the beliefs of these well known and respected celebrities, sports figures, and musicians. I'm anxiously awaiting the next book in the series and can't wait to give copies of this one to all my friends. Order 2!

It takes some time to settle the soul, after reading this gem. It seems so real because the author dares to take reality and bend it just enough to deliver a fantastic tale - in true soap opera fashion. To all the Lou's out there...don't settle for a Stonn. Head on down to Nawlin's and find your boogie on Bourbon Street!

You're worth it!!

What do a group of teens do when their disfunctional world is more dramatic than a daytime drama? They create their own soap. When main character, Rusty, has to deal with a bi-polar mom and an abusive stepdad, she turns to her friends for support. But when they continuously dump their problems on her, she avoids her own insanity by creating a role for each in a fictitious soap opera called Northgate Bay. Ms. Vaught is a master storyteller, and a genius at winding a plot that appeals to teens. No doubt Fat Tuesday is only the first of many excellent young adult novels we can look forward to from Susan Vaught.

What can I say but this book is absolutely amazing. From the very first line it caught my attention and never let me go until the very last page. Susan Vaught has masterfully penned this story, and it is absolutely a must read.

Please allow me a moment of gushing...I could not put Fat Tuesday down! It gripped me, held me, shook me around and didn't let me loose until it ended. Susan Vaught has a way of writing about difficult situations and making them yours; making you feel and want to react. This is an author not to be missed.

Ok, now for the nitty gritty. Fat Tuesday hosts a group of teens and their traumas that will grab hold of you, make you laugh [the soap opera notations whilst a result of a horrible reality can make you laugh as well, most especially the Mary Hartman reference had me howling], make you cry for lost innocence and make you proud when maturing and understanding comes along.

Fat Tuesday is a book about teens; their lives thus far, what the future holds for them and them taking hold of the reins for themselves. Does this mean that the adults in this book are all horrible, no, just all to real. This also means that Fat Tuesday is a book for parents just as much as it is for their teens.

Fat Tuesday is not to be missed and Susan Vaught should be added to your automatic buy lists...beautiful writer whose plotlines hold very tangible subject matters.

I finished this book last night, staying up much later than I meant in order to see the resolution of this multilayered story. It's a gritty tale in some respects, but Ms. Vaught handles tough issues with a deft hand, making the reader care about her characters. It goes beyond the standard teen angst book in many ways. I should mention there is humor as well, mostly in the form of Stonn, a blunt Finnish exchange student who had me laughing out loud. But mostly it's the story of Rusty, who must deal with her mother's mental illness, a suicidal friend, and her own budding sexuality. The action climaxes in the rich atmosphere of Mardi Gras, which Ms. Vaught captures quite well. Highly recommmended!

Jim Cox has done a wonderful job of recalling the most popular soap operas of radio's past. This book would make a great addition to any student's or collector's library of media related books. As an author, I fully appreciate the time and effort that went into this beautifully produced and informative book and congratulate everyone involved in its preparation.

Sometimes the truly good books are those that cover the aspects of network broadcasting that are not always best remembered. One obscurity is radio soap operas. And to think Jim Cox actually spent the time to compile information about thirty plus radio soap operas is magnificent. True documentation from an author who must love the OTR hobby. Sadly, the only thing going against it is the expensive price (obviously from McFarland who doesn't sell books at low prices for fans, only to University and College Libraries). This book, unlike many McFarland has put out, offers a neat photographic cover. One great thing I can say about this book (and you have to read it to understand what I'm saying), it was such an enjoyable read that I won't part with mine. You'll have to buy one of yoru own.

Okay. Soap operas on radio is not my strong point. In fact, I have very little in my collection. But I purchased a copy of this book (requested from a bookstore) and it's a must have. Cox is probably one of the best authors we have to document old-time radio and he digs into subjects we disregard. One thing I can really say this book did is make me order various cassettes from my favorite old-time radio dealer to listen to. More soap operas. That's exactly what a book should do. If you don't know much about this subject or want to hear some interesting stories, I recommend you add this to your collection. The cover is hardback trade, but with a glossy cover instead of cloth like most Mcfarland books. I like it.

This book is invaluable to the student of media as well as those who have memories of these wonderful programs. I have used the information in this book in teaching media classes to generate a better understanding of how entertainment forms came into being. This is also a great read in and of itself and a book to revisit often.

As the editor of an Old-Time radio club newsletter, I received a complimentary copy of "The Great Radio Soap Operas" from the publisher. While I was not a fan of radio soap operas, I decided to read and review this book.

Don't let the title keep you from seeking out this book. It is much, much more than a book on radio soap operas. Jim Cox has written a GREAT BOOK, including comprehensive histories of 31 of network radio's most durable soap operas. Don't be disappointed if one of your favorite "soaps" doesn't have its own chapter. Many others are also discussed in this book.

Each of the series covered in depth includes extensive information on casts, writers, production personnel, sponsors, ratings, dates on the air, and time slots. There is biographical information on many actors, producers, directors, & writers. Also, the opening lines for many soap operas are included. You'll also find interesting appendices and an excellent annotated bibliography.

Jim Cox manages to blend facts, entertaining anecdotes, scripting and plotting techniques, plot lines, and a generous portion of Radio history into a highly informative, readable, & enjoyable book. No small feat in deed! This book really captures the vitality of radio soap operas in such a way that the reader feels like the shows are still on the air. Even though the last radio "soap" went off the air over four decades ago, they live on in Jim's book. The love of his subject matter clearly shows through. "The Great Radio Soap Operas" is a book well worth adding to your Old-Time Radio library.

Once I finished reading the book and wrote the review, I turned the book over to the Club's Library. Then I placed an order with the publisher and purchased a copy of "The Great Radio Soap Operas" for my own.

The Watcher is a fantastic book. It's a very exellent book that gives us readers heaps of fun. Out of alll the horror books I've read, I think The Watcher is the most terrifying novel. It's so unrealistic and thats why I love it.

It didn't take me long to read this great book! I usually hate to read, but this book grabbed my attention and kept it. It usually takes me like a couple of weeks to read most books, but I read this book in two short nights because I couldn't put it down! Plus I had a book report to do on the second night, but that's not important, what's important is, is that this is a great book and you, yes YOU should read it now. You won't regret it! I won't tell you everything that happens in the book because blabbermouth above ^ already did that. No offense to blabbermouth.

Catherine Belmont's favourite soap opera is Lost River. She's so involved in it she dresses like the main character, Cassandra Bly and even gets her hair cut in the same style. Catherine starts to think she is Cassandra. Weird things start to happen to her, things that happen to Cassandra in Lost River. Then Catherine gets kidnapped and taken to a cabin in the mountains.

If you like supense or spine-tingling tales your sure to love The Watcher. It's a REALLY twisted tale, especially the ending! Cathrine is my favourite character. Although Travis is kind of weird. Oh well, I guess"it's for me to know and YOU to find out!" P.S.I gave it 9 out of 10 for it's super supense!

The main character in this book is Catherine Belmont, she lives with her mother in an apartment. Her father past away when she was very small. Albert is the landlord and lives downstairs ,but Catherine calls him old Albert because his very grouchy. Catherine loves soap operas and she often day dreams about being one of the stars in the show. She is hooked on a soap opera called- lost river. She watches it during her lunch time in school at Mr. Andersens appliances. Catherine imagines that she is Cassandra Bly the star of the show. Both of them look very alike physically. Her best friends are Liz and Kate.Both of them think that Catherine is obsess with Cassandra Bly, because Catherine dresses like her and she even cut her hair exactly like her. Kate is also her neighbor and he is in love with her, but Catherine does not like him. One day Catherine meets a guy named Travis which she is really attracted to and thats when she realizes that many of the things that are happening to Cassandra Bly in the soap opera start happening to her. Catherine starts to get really scared because now she has to watch the soap opera to see whats going to happen to her next! I think that this book is nice but is not as scary as it looks in the cover.

GuidingLight is the Best Soap you can ever watch!! I am so glad that Phillip is dead now!! But I don't like Beth and trying to blame Harlly, that she killed Phillip!!! I hate JB, he is so annoying, I can't stand him and thats all I got to say!!!!!!!

This author knows his soaps better than almost anyone and he writes with a genuine love, authority and respect that is refreshing in ANY genre! Fans of the longest televised daytime serial will cherish this volume, but non-GL devotees will enjoy the cultural importance of it, too! Grab it if you can.

on page 9 there is a great up close picture of Bill and Bert Bauer at a restaurant during a 1957 episode of the show. i'm glad i bought this book because it features a whole lot more different castmember pictures than, believe it or not, the 1997 60th Anniversary edition carried. No, the 1997 book is a MUST-HAVE too...it's just that this 1987 book has a more intimate feel about it than the large 1997 book, with ten added seasons. This 1987 book, strangely enough, covers ground that the 1997 book either left out because of space restraints or the author didn't feel necessary as a whole. for example, the 1987 book lists cast-members and their personal stats like birth and death and also on page 16 there's a picture of Arthur Peterson, who played "Reverend Ruthledge" on the radio version of the show until the mid '40s when the soap opera version took over with the Bauer clan. The 1997 lacks this kind of feature. Instead, they over-view the various families of the show in the back of the book. I think the 1987 book is a must-have because it's from a different author and a different lay-out and different emphasis...if you felt that the 1987 book was useless since the 1997 edition rolled around, you're sadly mistaken...the pictures alone are WORTH buying the 1987 "50th Anniversary"! My favorite characters on the show were Roger Thorpe, Alan Spaulding, Ed Bauer, Ross Marler, and Billy Lewis.

I wish there had been more pictures and more info on some of the current players. I have watched this show forever it seems but I don't like some of the story lines any more so I might not watch it much more. Will there be another book from the author?? I do enjoy it. I started watching it when Poppa Bauer was in it I believe in the 50's.

I found this cookbook easy to follow and the recipes uncomplicated. You can't go wrong with the Spicy Asian Meatballs, Garlic Cheese Spread, or the Low-Fat Cheesecake among others. I have used many of Robin's recipes for cocktail parties and they are a huge hit. Great advice and fun stories from her personal life all make a good read. Just wish Robin still had her cooking show on Lifetime. The fact that I have met her on several occasions and she is always warm and friendly, makes this all the more enjoyable!

Robin had wonderful recipes and I loved the stories she shared about her life. She is a good author and a great cook.

One recipe I loved was for Turkey meatloaves. Everyone shoudl try that. My parents loved it, too.

Robin is a great actress, author, cook, and an over all wonderful person!

This is an excellent cookbook written by my favorite Soap Opera actress. It is obvious that Robin is a wonderful cook since I have already tried several of her recipes and they are great. If you want a great cookbook and a hint of who *Janet from another Planet* really is....buy this cookbook!

I already have two favorites; ROBIN'S FIESTY PASTA, and FETTUCCINE WITH ZUCCHINI AND FRESH TOMATOE SAUCE. My family always welcome their arrival to the table and I enjoy cooking them. It was surprising how simple they were to prepare and how great tasting in the end. Being a fan of AMC for over 20 years, knowing more about Robin made it even more enjoyable. I plan to give it as a gift this Christmas.

Hollywood. So glamorous. All those stars, all that money, and the fame. Such a dream come true! Well, perhaps not.

Hollywood also has a much darker side to it. Hundreds of young want-to-bes get off the bus everyday hoping to become rich and famous. Usually within their first few days in the city, these hopeful individuals realize that Hollywood is a very dangerous, lonely place and that being discovered is pretty unlikely.

Starstruck: A Hollywood Saga follows the life of one such hopeful actress, Betty Lumpkin from Mackford Falls, Iowa. Betty, who quickly changes her name to Carrington Carmichael, finds out that the road to stardom isn't paved with gold and silver. The young woman falls victim to a lot of tragedy and trauma in her climb to the top. Then, when she has finally "made it" her past comes to haunt her.

Starstruck: A Hollywood Saga shows the highs and lows of making it big in Hollywood. Although Carrington is the main focus of the book, the author has integrated the stories of several other aspiring stars within this main story. This aspect rounds out the book very well to give the reader the feeling of being part of the group and the action that occurs throughout this interesting story. Definitely recommended.

Hilarious book, for the "Showgirls" fans out there. The author, however, succeeds in painting a sympathetic portrait of the lead character, unlike the unredeemable Nomi Malone from "Showgirls." Good trashy, campy fun...(with a heart)

I'll say this right up front. "Starstruck: A Hollywood Novel" is not normally my kind of book. But I read Perronne's coming of age novel, "A Time Before Me" and I decided to give Starstruck a try, based on Perronne's considerable writing skills. Even so, I was prepared to be disappointed. I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed Starstruck. Sure, it's campy, but Perronne's characters have depth I didn't expect to find in a potboiler. As a transplanted midwesterner, I really identified with Carrington (well, not EVERYTHING about her) and I really felt for her. The book jacket calls Perronne an entertainment industry escapee, and his descriptions of the business feel real. My only complaint, without giving anything away, is that I wanted the end to be a little more drawn out - for Carrington be a little more eloquent about her past. It just ended a little too quickly for me. That being said, the read was just great fun, and I will continue to pick up Perronne's books, whatever the genre.

Starstruck: A Hollywood Saga tells the story of Carrington Carmichael and her struggle to make it big in Hollywood. She escapes her stifling small town of Mackford Falls, Iowa with only five-hundred bucks to her name and hops on a bus to LA to make her dreams come true, and make something of herself. Along the way she meets a cast of colorful characters, and her adventure is only beginning. She survives being broke and homeless, deaths of friends and husbands, jealous co-stars, and much more, all in pursuit of her dreams, and true love. Through the campy fun of it all, I loved all the many characters in this book. All of them rang true, and I wanted to see Carrington come through in the end. It's a quick and fun read, and in the style of Jackie Collins, Perronne ends each section with a hook, making for a page-turner you won't be able to put down. Kick your feet up, relax, and enjoy the ride.